What's In A Name
by lokilette
Summary: Fred Weasley II inherited his name from his family, but he's tired of living in someone else's shadow. All his life, he's been compared to his uncle, but Hogwarts holds the opportunity he's been waiting for: to become his own person, independent of his namesake. One-shot. Written for QLFC, season three, round eight.


**Author's Note:** Written for round eight of QLFC. Prompt: write about a next-gen Weasley. The Weasley I chose was Fred Weasley II.

* * *

Hogwarts was supposed to be an escape, a way to break free from the assumptions and expectations, but Freddie was beginning to think that wasn't the case. The teachers all knew Fred Weasley— _the_ Fred Weasley, the one he'd never live up to. Freddie could see it in their eyes, the way they glossed over whenever they heard his name.

That's why he dreaded hearing it aloud at the Sorting Ceremony. There was no avoiding it; there was no hiding it.

"Weasley, Fred."

The room went quiet as Freddie stepped forward, and there was a heaviness in the pit of his stomach. The professors were looking at him _that way_ again. The same way all the adults did when they heard his name. They didn't care about him. He was just a figurehead of sorts. All he ever would amount to was a reminder of what everyone had lost and what they could never regain again.

Freddie swallowed the bile that rose in the back of his throat as he stepped up to the stool and sat down. Everyone's eyes were on him. He hated being the center of attention, so he was thankful when the old, leather hat slipped down over his eyes.

 _Another Weasley, hm? I shouldn't be surprised by now. Another Fred Weasley, no less. Why, I remember your father and uncle well. Both Gryffindors. Are you a Gryffindor?_

 _Please, anything but Gryffindor!_

Freddie gritted his teeth and gripped the edge of the stool tightly. He couldn't _stand_ the thought of being a Gryffindor, even if Dad told him that's what he should be, what _all_ the Weasleys were. He knew what Dad meant: that's what Uncle Fred had been. It was just one more way for him to fit in the perfect Fred Weasley mold. But it wasn't what _he_ wanted. He just wanted to be himself.

 _Not Gryffindor, hm? Well, let's take a look, shall we?_

 **...o0o...**

 _Oh Merlin, she's crying! Again. Freddie had come to the conclusion that this was all little sisters were good for: crying and trouble. This was always how it started, and then Freddie would get in trouble for causing it, even though it wasn't his fault that little girls were so easily broken, apparently._

 _What could he do? Freddie glanced around, but there was nothing special about the yard around the Burrow. The most interesting thing about the place were the people that were always inevitably there, and today was no exception. Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione were inside, and Rose and Hugo were playing upstairs._

" _I've got it! Would you stop crying if I make you laugh?"_

 _Roxanne's sobbing slowed, but she didn't look completely convinced. Her face was an ugly red color, and she had snot flowing from her nose. Girls were disgusting. Why couldn't he have had a brother?_

 _After a few seconds, Roxanne nodded her head slowly._

" _C'mon then. Quietly."_

 _Freddie had managed to sneak out a couple of choice selections from Dad's shop. He always kept a stock "just in case," though he never really found much need for them. This was a special occasion, though, and he had something to prove, so he'd have to choose carefully. He didn't have much on him, but what he did have were some of Dad's Creepy Crawlies. Everyone hated those things, even if Freddie thought they were cool, so it was good enough._

 _They snuck into the house, not that it took much sneaking. All the adults were "catching up," whatever that meant, in the kitchen, and no one paid them any attention._

" _What are you gonna do?" Roxanne asked._

" _Shh!" Freddie held a finger up to his lips. His sister harrumphed and crossed her arms over her chest, but he could live with that. Pouting was better than crying any day._

 _Freddie reached into his pocket and pulled out the only Creepy Crawley he had on him at the moment: a spider. It always helped to be prepared. He whispered the words that activated the gag, and it sprang to life like a real spider. He set it free on the kitchen floor before pulling his head back into the living room and pressing against a wall. Roxanne was across from him, already giggling, and Freddie couldn't help but smile. It was nice to see her laugh. He liked making people happy._

 _They only had to wait a few minutes before the spider was seen, judging by the loud, high-pitched wail that emanated from the kitchen._

" _You got Grandma!" Roxanne gasped and then giggled._

" _Actually, I think that was Uncle Ron," Freddie whispered, which made her laugh harder. He didn't dare poke his head around the wall to check, though, with the commotion that was now coming from the kitchen._

" _Well, what have we here? A pair of trouble-makers, it seems."_

 _Uh-oh! He'd forgotten to keep a lookout for Dad, who was standing over him wearing his "stern" face._

" _Freddie did it!" Roxanne said, pointing a chubby finger his way._

" _You're such a tattletale!"_

" _Go apologize to your uncle." Dad was still using his stern voice, but his defenses were cracking. He wanted to smile. Freddie could see it tugging at the edges of his lips, despite his serious facade._

" _Fred Weasley!" Grandma shouted as Dad pushed him into the kitchen. Her face was turning scarlet, and her hands were firm on her hips. That was a bad sign. It meant Freddie was in big trouble._

 _But then Uncle Ron laughed and Grandpa joined in._

" _Now, that sounds familiar," Uncle Ron said. "Lighten up, Mum. Can you really blame him? He's just taking after his father and uncle."_

 _Grandma smiled, but it wasn't a real smile. Not like Roxanne's. Freddie always hated it when people smiled at him like that, because it always meant they were thinking of the other Fred. No, the_ real _Fred._ He _was the other Fred._

 _Dad smiled and ruffled Freddie's hair lightly, but the smile wasn't really for him. either. Freddie could tell from the sparkle in his eyes and the tears that threatened to fall that Dad was thinking about his brother, not his son._

 **...o0o...**

 _Hm. Interesting. Interesting, indeed. There's a lot to you, isn't there? More than meets the eye. You're loyal. You're persistent. You love your family and friends more than anything else and just want to see them happy. Maybe Hufflepuff would suit you?_

Hufflepuff? Well, it wasn't the worst thing ever, and at least it wasn't Gryffindor. Freddie could live with Hufflepuff. Teddy's Mum was a Hufflepuff. And...well, there had to be others, even if he didn't know them, right?

 _But there's still plenty there. Let's see what else we can find._

 **...o0o...**

" _D'ya think it'll work?" Freddie whispered, holding the little seed between his finger and thumb and inspecting it closely._

" _I tried a couple, and they all worked just fine," Victoire whispered back._

 _They were at Hogwarts, like they were every year on May 2nd, even though it was Victoire's birthday. She didn't seem to mind sharing the day. After all, that evening they'd have a large party, Weasley style, and everyone would be there to heap favor and praise on her, like always. But Freddie knew better. Despite her smile, of course she minded. The day she was born always started with tears and heartache, and no one ever really got over it._

 _The Battle of Hogwarts Memorial was wrapping up, but Freddie couldn't stop fidgeting in his seat. He had to sit through this every year and watch everyone cry over people he'd never met. They were important, and they'd given their lives for an important cause, but it was a hard day for everyone. No one would even say his name on May 2nd because it was too painful for them. For that one day a year, both Fred Weasleys died, but at least one of them was remembered._

 _But this year was different. Freddie was determined to remind everyone that he was still there. He was too young for Hogwarts and proper magic, but he had studied the products from Dad's shop closely to figure out how they worked. He had the mind and Victoire, who was already going to Hogwarts, had the magic._

 _Everyone crowded around the memorial stone, where they would inevitably spend time sobbing over Uncle Fred and reminiscing about his past adventures. Freddie pushed his way to the front and did his best to get his family's attention. Mum and Dad were looking, at least, and Grandma and Grandpa, too._

" _I wanted to do something special this year," Freddie said once he was sure they were listening. "So I put something together, with some help from Vic."_

 _Freddie pulled the seed out of his pocket and buried it at the base of the stone. Victoire stepped forward and tapped the spot with her wand, muttering a spell under her breath. Almost immediately, the seed responded by erupting into a whole field of flowers, spreading out around the base of the stone. There were flowers of various types and colors, creating a vibrant tapestry around the otherwise bleak memorial. In the middle, spelled out in bright-green flowers—Dad's favorite color, so Freddie assumed it was Uncle Fred's favorite, too—were the words "In Loving Memory."_

" _Oh, it's beautiful. You two must've worked so hard on it," Grandma said as she wrapped Freddie in a hug. Her face was wet and sticky, and a new batch of tears flowed freely down her cheeks._

" _A great inventor, just like your Dad and Granddad," Grandpa said and clapped him on the shoulder._

 _Dad smiled, brushed away some lingering tears, and then ruffled Freddie's hair._

" _It's beautiful. It was a really nice surprise, son."_

 _Freddie smiled because that's what he was expected to do, but he really just wanted to cry. Even after everything, even after all the trouble he went through, Dad couldn't bear to say his name. Not today. It only served as a reminder of everything he had lost, as if he had never gained anything worth remembering._

 **...o0o...**

 _You're quite smart. A thinker, problem solver. You might do well in Ravenclaw._

Ravenclaw? Freddie had never considered Ravenclaw before. That's where people like Rose went, people who were really intelligent and loved books. He hated studying, and he saw coursework only as a necessary evil. He wasn't dumb, by any means, but Ravenclaw? It wasn't Gryffindor, but it just didn't feel like _him_ , either.

 _No Ravenclaw, hm? That only leaves one other house. But is it really right for you?_

 **...o0o...**

 _Freddie could barely contain his excitement as they entered Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. It was his turn! Finally! The hustle and bustle was familiar. They came every year, it seemed, to see cousins off and to welcome them back home. But this year, he'd be leaving on the Hogwarts Express, too._

 _Roxanne was pouting, trying to protest the fact that she couldn't join him._

" _Why does Freddie get to go? I'm just as mature as he is."_

" _You are not," Freddie said, rolling his eyes. "And you're too young still. You have to be eleven."_

 _Roxanne crossed her arms and refused to talk to him anymore, which suited him just fine. He had plenty of other things to think about._

" _Try not to get in trouble, will you? I don't want to have to be one of those parents that sends you Howlers every month," Mum said, pulling him into a tight hug._

" _Why do I get the feeling you're talking about me?" Dad laughed and wrapped his arms around them both. "There's nothing wrong with a little trouble-making. Just don't get caught. And if Filch is there, promise me you'll give him a hard time, just a little, for your dad?"_

" _George!" Mum slapped him hard on the shoulder._

" _What? He's got it coming!"_

" _Don't listen to your father. And m_ _ake sure you write us all the time. We're going to miss you."_

" _I'll miss you, too, Mum, and I promise I'll write. I'll write letters just for you, too, and I'll tell you all about Hogwarts so you know what to expect," Freddie said as he gave his sister a quick pat on the head._

" _You promise?" she asked._

" _Promise."_

 _Roxanne hugged him quickly, just for a second, and then pretended to be distracted by something else._

 _Freddie clambered onto the train and claimed a window seat. Hogwarts was his chance to escape, finally, and make a name for himself, out of the shadow of his namesake or his father or the Weasley legacy. None of these people would know him, so they wouldn't have any expectations. He could just be himself, for once._

 _Freddie couldn't even pretend to be sad as the train rolled out of the station. He was far too excited for that. No one at Hogwarts would know him as Fred Weasley or have anyone to compare him to. He'd simply be Freddie, and people would have to make up their own mind about who he was based on his actions, not his name. That was really all he'd ever wanted._

 **...oOo...**

 _Not Gryffindor? Are you sure?_

 _I'm sure._

Gryffindor already had a Fred Weasley. The quota was filled. This was supposed to be an opportunity to forge his own path and become his own person. Gryffindor was definitely out of the question.

 _Then there's only one house that you could possibly belong to._

"SLYTHERIN!"

The Great Hall broke out into confused applause because Weasleys didn't wear green and silver. After all, this was the first generation after the Second Wizarding War, and old prejudices die hard. Freddie knew that, even if the adults thought they were being sneaky by whispering about it behind closed doors, like that would stop them from listening. Like Dad didn't sell Extendable Ears right in the shop.

As much as he hated to admit it, Freddie's favorite color was green, and silver wasn't bad, either. He might risk a Howler in the morning from Dad, who was so sure that Freddie would follow in his footsteps and be sorted into Gryffindor, but it was worth it.

Slytherin could work out just fine. After all, Freddie decided, he looked rather good decked out in green and silver, which was something that, unlike his name, he didn't have to share with anyone else in his family.


End file.
